A Bridge Design True to Thai Culture

As Thailand’s longest bridge, the Kanchanaphisek Bridge has helped ease Bangkok’s legendary traffic congestion, while giving the city a striking new landmark.

A key element of the 14-mile (22-kilometer) Southern Outer Bangkok Ring Road, the Kanchanaphisek Bridge has a main span of 1,640 feet (500 meters) and a total length of 3,087 feet (941 meters).

WSP supported the project’s development for more than a decade, beginning with a study of bridge and tunnel options for the crossing of the Chao Phraya River. Following selection of the bridge option, we performed conceptual and preliminary design and supervised final design by local engineers in Bangkok. The firm also provided construction supervision services during the construction phase. Design was completed in 2000, ground was broken in August 2004, and erection of the steel superstructure began in June 2005.

The design of the cable-stayed bridge incorporates elements of traditional Thai architecture, including gold latticework, spheres and spires that top the towers. The bridge was designed for easy maintenance and ready accessibility to all major bridge components.

Length

941 m

Lanes

8

Height

187.6 m

An Award-Winning Project

The project won the Engineering Excellence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) in 2007 and a Diamond Award from the New York Chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies in 2008.